The best smart home devices to improve the comfort of your home
Home automation has long been a hobby for many, dating back to the original washing machines, water heaters, and dishwashers. Later, X10 home automation brought communication between electronic devices, and now we have IoT (the Internet of Things).
Thanks to the ubiquity of tablet and mobile devices and the rapid development of technology, setting up a smart home is now relatively inexpensive
In this article, we’ll discuss the latest innovation in smart home devices and give you some ideas for your own home.
The Internet of Things (IoT)
The internet has really changed how home automation works. The idea behind IoT is that your devices are connected to the internet, typically through a central Wi-Fi router. From there, something as small and simple as a light bulb can leverage the computing power available online to make it “smart”.
Often, there’s a central control system for your smart devices. This can be a tablet device or, if you prefer, your phone. Most smart home systems can be controlled by Apple iOS or Android devices, so you don’t need additional hardware.
A few companies offer dedicated smart home hubs that act as the brains of the operation. Amazon has the Amazon Echo, Google has Google Home, Apple has HomePod, and Samsung has SmartThings Hub. Besides these commercial systems, there is a range of non-proprietary options like OpenHAB and Home Assistant.
Smart home applications
Smart devices include smart lighting, heating, air conditioning, media devices, and security systems. Smart applications can be set up to perform certain tasks autonomously. For example, a smart lighting installation could automatically switch the lights at a certain time.
It’s even better when multiple devices can interact through a central system. Essentially, your garage opener can inform the system when you arrive home and send a signal to the lights to switch them on. Or your media center can detect you’re going to watch a movie and relay this information to the smart home system, which dims the lights, closes the curtains, and sets your phone to ‘do not disturb’.
Assistance applications
Smart devices can be particularly useful for elderly individuals or those with disabilities. Assistive technology can assist users with limitations. For example, voice control can help users with mobility or sight issues and alert systems can connect wirelessly to the cochlear implants of hearing-impaired individuals.
Smart home device installation
Getting started with smart home devices can be as simple as purchasing a single device that you can control using your phone. But for the most exciting integrations between devices, we suggest a professional smart home installation from Sound Sensations.
We offer smart lighting, automation, home theater systems, whole-house audio, and security systems that all work together in tandem. A professional installation means you have more control over how your automation works. Perhaps you want smart light switches in each room so you don’t need to have your phone on you at all times. Or maybe you prefer a system that responds to your every move, so you don’t need to touch anything at all.
We even offer motorized shades for your windows that can be automated or controlled at the touch of a button. They’re super quiet and efficient, and they’re certainly impressive to show off to guests.
Networking
Getting the best from any smart home means having a reliable, fast Wi-Fi connection throughout your house. We can handle this for you too, delivering a fast internet connection to every corner of your home. We can advise on the best router for your needs and set everything up so it’s out of sight yet works flawlessly.
Security
It makes sense to integrate your security system into your smart home. With the right setup, you can monitor your home when you’re away. You can check whether the garage door is open (and if it is, close it!). You can view all of your security cameras whenever you wish, or simply get alerts when something out of the ordinary happens at your home.
Your security system can be paired with a 24/7 monitoring company that keeps an eye on your exterior cameras for you. Or you might just want to be alerted when your kids come home from school or someone is in a room you consider off-limits.
Smart home device installation in Marietta
As you can see, smart home technology makes your life easier and nowadays, it’s pretty affordable, too. Get in touch with our smart home product experts at Sound Sensations to discuss your particular smart home needs today.